The Demon Within
by flying alien
Summary: Seleena comes to the mansion hoping that maybe someone there can help her control her Demon. Please note that this is the second in a series. Also, see author's note for further information.
1. Default Chapter

This story is the second in a series. The first is a Teen Titans Fan fiction. I am aware that Teen Titans and X-men are not a perfect fit…the former belonging to DC comics and the latter to Marvel. To make matters worse, I am playing with continuity and shifting time frames. Also I am using the Comics for X-men (not either of it's cartoons) and the cartoon for Teen Titans. So to those of you who are unfamiliar with the Teen Titans, please read the first story anyway. It is short and really essential for the back story to this piece. Thank you for that. And I hope, now that I've scared you all off, that you will enjoy this story.

One more note…the chapter breaks may seem awkward, and the chapters too short… that is because I hope to update this as I write it and every night… so I apologize but I've been wanting to do a flow of consciousness piece for a while… bear with me. Thank you for indulging me and now that the Author's note is longer than the chapter please continue. Don't be concerned the next one will be longer. As I said….

* * *

Seleena looked up at the stately mansion before her. Her glasses glinted in the sun reflecting the gates. She looked doubtfully at the address in her black-gloved hand. She was in a black cat suit that covered her literally from head to toe, and a thick wool cloak over that. And this was the place. She pressed the intercom button and a woman's face appeared on a screen above the speaker. Her earth tone skin was contrasted by her pure, cloud white hair and sky blue eyes. 

"Hello—" Seleena started first, trying her best to keep her voice neutral. She could have flown over the fence in a second. For all the fame of Charles Xavier was this all the security he had. One weak looking odd duck guard and a wrought iron fence? "I believe I have an appointment with Dr. Xavier."

"Professor Xavier." The woman corrected. She closed her eyes and concentrated. "yes, he is expecting you." The intercom clicked off and the gate swung open. A gesture of invitation that was very important to the young looking vampire.


	2. Truths

Seleena deliberately walked up to the large oak doors and they opened before her. The team of mutants, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, and Sprite, took an instinctual step back. Weather it was because of her strange garb or because she walked like she was covered in the blood of the innocent none of them could pin point. It only took Wolverine a second to place what exactly was off about her and an hour too late to figure out the why. She had no pulse, no sent of her own, and she reeked of pig's blood.

She turned and sought out who seemed to be less afraid. Everyone's heart was beating so fast. Fear or excitement? The auras indicated fear… but the short one was doing a good job of hiding it. She held out her hand to him. "Seleena," she started.

"Wolverine." The gruff man responded. She had never heard a man make such a long word sound like a grunt.

"I'm looking for Professor Xavier." She explained. "I have an appointment."

"I'll show you the way." The black woman stepped forward. There was something different, and brutal, about the stranger. "I'm called Ororo."

"Beauty." She paused. "It's a nice name."

Ororo looked more than a bit shocked. No one but her people in Kenya knew the meaning of her name. Was it possible that this woman spoke her language? No, she must be just a telepath. "Follow me."

She was led up the main stairs and she noted the Beauty stayed several paces ahead.

"This is where I leave you." With some relief she opened the door and Seleena stepped unknowingly in to the office of the greatest telepath in the world.

"I must say that I was a little surprised to hear from you." A bald man behind the desk spoke. Seleena immediately noted two things. First the office left her no choice but to sit facing the west window and the setting sun. That made her distinctly uncomfortable. The second and less important was that this man, unlike the old newspaper clipping, was in a wheelchair. He was crippled. That didn't bother her much, people change in 60 years. (AN: thought this is the continuity of X-men around 1983 I have bumped every thing up to present.)

"I came here because I was told you were the best volunteer physiatrist in Cairo." Seleena explained her self. Again.

"That's ancient history, well before your time. How did you hear of it." there was genuine puzzlement in his voice and she felt a night undetectable, but strong, mind try and weaken her physic walls.

Could it be this man? No. "you might be surprised what my time is." But the best shrink might be a telepath.

"So, though I admit I am a bit out of practice, you said on the phone that this was a matter of some importance." Professor Xavier was a bit unnerved by the walls around her mind. She had been trained some where…she was no telepath and those walls were strong.

"I need your help… controlling my demon." The last phrase was cryptic and quite disconcerting.

"Well young lady…we all have our demons. Perhaps this is something you should work out yourself. Though I'm flattered that you thought it necessary to pull me out of retirement." That was no HINT of spite in his voice.

"No professor." She had hoped it wouldn't come to this. "I don't think you realize." Her hand went up to her neck and the seem of her headpiece. "This is a literal demon." She took the hood off and a mane of black hair fell to her waist. She was really very striking…especially the fact that her face began to burn in contact with the sunlight streaming in to the room.

"GOOD LORD." The professor wheeled back form his desk and Seleena heard an alarm the frequency of dog whistles go off. He had hit a hidden button.

Within seconds Wolverine was in the room. He must have been right outsde. He had claws. Outstretched from his wrists. So these were the X-men. Seleena pieced it all together. Wolverine did too… no pulse and the Chuck couldn't get through to her brain.. This "girl" was a Vampire.

"PLEASE!" her scream was unexpected. "I don't want to fight… I came here for help."

"We don't help your kind." Wolverine advanced. "Not since yours tried to take one of ours." (Dracula wanted Storm to be his queen…if any one really wants to know I'll find the issue number.)

"I don't have a 'ours' I just have me. Any thing a vampire did to you… I had no part in it!" she begged not wanting to injure the man in front of her. And part of her reviling in the fact that she could. "Professor you can't get through the walls because I was protecting you. Look at me. I don't want a fight!"

"Logan! Stop! I sense that she is being truthful. I believe she is a different type of vampire than what we have faced." Immediacy and reluctantly the man stopped advancing. And sheathed his claws.

"I shield you from my mind because I have never met a human that could handle what inside me…I need your help to keep it in." then almost inaudibly. "I can't kill again."


	3. Bedtime Story

Things were explained over diner. Seleena wasn't evil. They didn't trust her. The mansion was so big, they didn't even give her a room. They said she could have the couch. She said she didn't need it. There was an empty spot at the table—some one missing. He was elsewhere.

She didn't need the couch; she slept on the air. But she did need a shower. The water warmed her skin form the outside, no the way a kill would. She shut that part out.

She walked back to the common area in a tank top and black jeans. She heard a small voice. And child's voice. She stopped and listened. It didn't affect her that it was in Russian.

"Piotr Nikolievitch, tell me a story." The young voice begged. Seleena smiled at the child's insistence.

"I'm out of stories Illyana Natalaynovna. And you know it." the man of steel explained slightly irritated. "Now go to sleep."

"Have Katya tell me a story." She persisted.

"Katya is in the danger room. Go to sleep I beg you." He looked like he was about to crack.

"Then I want the pretty new lady to tell me a story." Seleena frowned outside the door. She hadn't expected to be part of the cute little fight.

"I don't th--" Piotr started.

Seleena decided to make her presents known and stepped into the doorway. "It's all right." She assured Piotr. She knew that he didn't want his little sister exposed to a vampire…but she pretended that he didn't want to inconvenience her. The look of shock though, was unexpected. Only then did she realize that she had not only been listening but was now speaking in Russian. Instead of acknowledging that this was an out of place occurrence she turned her striking lavender eyes to Illyana. "What kind of story do you want to hear?" she asked sweetly. And was therefore as unprepared as Piotr when she got the answer.

"I want a scary story tonight!" the small child replied with enthusiasm.

Piotr paled, the six year old didn't realize what Seleena was and…well a scary story could lead to disaster. "How about one with a happy ending." He suggested weakly.

"A scary story with a happy ending…" Seleena mused. "I think I might know one you'd like."

She closed her eyes and remembered. "a long, long time ago--" she began.

"How long?" Illyana asked.

"Hundreds of years…before there was a United States…even before your parents were born." That got a laugh. "That long ago there was a little girl. She was about your age, and she was very happy. This little girl loved to play in the sun, even though her name was Chosen For Darkness. She would play for hours. Her hair was like two dancing snakes down her back, and she loved to get covered in dirt and dust and blend them with her brown skin. This little girl could fight. She had to; she was going to protect her people when she grew up.

In her village there was always a Dark Princess. The Dark Princess lived for one hundred years and then she found some one to take her place. Chosen for Darkness was to follow her. The Dark Princess couldn't come out in to the sun…and she couldn't where the pretty silver jewelry that the people gave her. And she had to drink blood. But for the protection that she offered none of the people in the village minded sharing as long as no one got really hurt. Every thing was good then.

One night, when Chosen For Darkness was a young woman. She was 19; she was summoned to the Dark Princess' hut. There she was told that it was her turn. Dark Princess drank from Chosen for Darkness and Chosen drank form her blood. Then came the hardest part. Chosen had to kill the Dark Princess. She didn't want to. But it had to be done, and Chosen for Darkness was the only one that could. The Dark Princess understood.

That night Chosen for Darkness changed." Seleena was interrupted again.

"Did she turn to metal like Piotr Nikolievitch?"

"No, not exactly…" she paused. "Do you know what a vampire is?" as and answer Illyana hid under the sheets in pretend fear. "Good, well Chosen for Darkness turned in to a vampire, and with that, she became Dark Princess.

She had only been protecting her people for 2 years when the pale skins came to her village. They attacked in the daylight while she was sleeping. She fought every night, and tried her hardest, but as strong as she was, there were some things she couldn't fight. Her people got sick, very sick. And they died. She was all-alone. And she had nothing to fight for. One day, as she was sleeping, a pale skin cut threw her heart with a silver knife. But she did not crumble into dust as the former Dark Princess had, maybe it was because she was so young still. Or maybe because she wasn't evil, whatever the reason, Chosen for Darkness didn't die. Instead she merely woke up.

She ran away… somewhere where she couldn't be followed. To the field she had played in all her childhood. She spent every day after that playing in the sun by herself, and then later with her children. She was a vampire no more. And she was happy."

As soon as Illyana thought the story was over, she was asleep. Seleena and Piotr crept out of her room.

"Chosen For Darkness, she was you?" he asked lowly.

"Da." She replied.

"Your Russian is very good." He said switching to English.

"I was speaking it before you were born." She explained. "And I return the compliment. Your English is almost perfect."

As they walked down the hall, for once in too long, it wasn't the heartbeat of her companion that she noticed. But the trust that radiated from his aura.


	4. Therapy

Trillinka---there you are! I didn't know if you'd read this story cause it wasn't Teen Titans… I missed you! Yup, I am one well adjusted individual. Thank you, for the compliment on the story I mean. I was having a hard time with it… I didn't know if that would be age appropriate.

"So, this… demon." The Professor began, his fingers steepled. "It is a part of you? You understand I have limited experience in this area."

"Not exactly…" Seleena struggled to explain. "It's within me but it's not a part of my personality. It's more like I'm its…host." She cringed. "That's not right. Or that's not how I meant to say it."

"I think I might understand." He nodded. "This is not merely a case of anger control such as Logan…but a spilt personality. Are you aware or conscience when the demon is in control?"

"It's not a personality…it's like…" she stopped. "Like some one else is living in my body, and I don't want it there cause if it kills that means that I'm killing and I'm not a killer."

"I think I see." He seemed to mull over the thought for a while. Seleena wondered if she'd made a mistake. It was obvious that he was a genius but not used to doing this kind of thing with out utilizing his psi-powers. "What triggers these…attacks."

Seleena shivered. "The last time, I was fighting and I was injured. When I could join the fight again, all my friends were down. I just flipped out. The last this I remember before waking up holding their attacker's body was my boyfriend screaming and my best friend fighting for his life."

"Is it possible that this was a result, not of anger, but of a subconscious instinct to protect your friends?" Professor suggested.

"No, if R—if my other friend would've been bleeding I—it would've turned on him in a heartbeat." She swallowed hard. "They all would be dead."

"I don't disagree." She thought he was harsh, but then hadn't she wanted everyone to see what a danger she was? He did. "It is obvious that this…demon, is one of instinct. However, what I am wondering is, is it one of anger. You saw that your friend's were in danger and that prompted the attack. What if the demon is not triggered by anger, but panic."

Seleena didn't know how to respond. If what he was proposing was true than her situation was not as hopeless as she might have thought. She might merely have to meditate like Raven.

"I think that is enough for today, you've given me a lot to think about." Xavier continued not realizing the sameness of their thoughts. "You will be training in the mornings with Wolverine. I think practiced doses of adrenaline might be good for you."

"Thanks professor, you've been a ton of help, even just now." Seleena stood and shook the man's hand. With just a slight bounce in her step she left the room.


	5. Questions

As some may have noticed, that the last two chapters were more an exploration of Seleena and the vampiric state than anything else: unfortunately for those of you who love a good plot… that is what this story is. An exploration and explanation.

Aside from that I would like to apologize for the terribly long wait. I have been and still am, very ill. I haven't had any energy for anything but school and that includes even picking up a pen to scratch out ideas. So enough of that. Here comes another explanation as only Seleena can tell it.

Seleena had been allotted a room, a small one. No bed, no furniture, fortunately, no windows. It was on a lower level. A storage basement that had never been used. It was not something to be hers, not to be personalized or decorated as her room in the tower. This was just a place to put her stuff—that's all. She wasn't part of the team. She didn't belong. Just a place to put her stuff.

Without a room to call her own, she had no privacy to guard. She wouldn't have been offended if Kitty pride had phased through the wall with a camera in her hand. She had no dignity. She didn't deserve it.

Kitty did phase through the door. She didn't have a camera.

"Something I can help you with Kitty?" Seleena didn't open her eyes not stand up.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked taken aback., hence diverted from her main purpose.

"And they said you were a genius." Seleena smirked and slowly stood from her spot on the floor.

"Hey!" Kitty threw her hands on her hips.

"Well, she gets and insult." Maybe she shouldn't play so rough 'til these people knew and trusted her. If that was ever going to happen. "Think Kitkat, some one enters the room, sounds like Kitty, smells like Kitty, throw into that the fact that the door didn't open, you got yourself a Kitty."

"You sound like Logan." The young girl huffed indigently.

"Thank you, Logan's a good man." Seleena replied. "You didn't come here to talk sensory perception. What's on your mind?"

"Peter, he said that you weren't like _him_ said you were mostly, like, a normal person." She flashed distrust and—lust? It took Seleena the briefest moment to figure out that was for Poitr.

"You came to see if I had hypnotized him or something." It wasn't a question and Kitty knew it.

"Are you in my head!" the mutant responded defensively.

"No, just in the same room."

"What ever that means." Kitty glanced around for a place to sit so she could look even the slightest bit imposing.

"Pull up a box." Seleena motioned to a not so sturdy looking suitcase. They both decided to remain standing. "to answer your question. No, Dracula's one of a kind, There's NO ONE like him. And I would get a crucifix tattoo before I'd hurt Beauty."

"Ororo?" she started more to herself than anything else.

"That's what I said. Need your ears checked?"

"But how—how did you know?" she was shocked and…scared? Scared for Beauty.

"He's all over her, his mark, his scent." Any fool could pick it up.

"But—he said—what I mean is, he promised that she wasn't his—not anymore. He PROMISED." She was terrified. The fear stank up the room and it was making Seleena sick—and a part of her hungry. There was no need for that. She could control herself. She prayed.

"She's not his—not in any way that matters to you anyway. She just has a…like a residue."

The horror lessened. "Storm means the world to me. If any part of him is still there…" she trailed off.

"He's not, it's like…like a sign that he put up. But the paint's peeling. If any one else were to…you know." And Seleena knew that she couldn't bring her self to say it. "Well, they would find them selves in a world or hurt."

"He might come back."

"No."

"But he might, and I need to know, how do I kill him?" Seleena heard the rest. 'And how do I kill you?'

"You're not a killer Kitkat. Leave that to Logan."

"Do I want to know how you know so much?" she was asking but she already knew that she did.

"I read people." Seleena scolded herself that was a bad was to say it.

"Like the professor."

"No, I see auras if I want to. I can block them out. But they can say almost anything you'll ever want to know about people. Your love/lust for young Mr. Rasputin. The affection you have for Beauty, respect for Logan." Kitty swallowed hard. She knew what was coming next. "Your terror of vampires."

"You know all that from looking at me?"

"Not you," Seleena made an indefinite gesture. "Your sprit. You're very brave."

"So you're not… upset?"

"For curiosity, protection or bravery? Or are you asking because you know now that I know about your fear? None of those are bad things."

"Don't you want people to not be afraid?" Kitty asked a little stupidly.

"Don't you?"

"I'm not sure that I follow, people aren't scared of me." She responded either out of ignorance or superiority. They often read as the same thing.

"When was the last time you stood up on a table and yelled 'I AM A MUTANT!' at the top of your lungs?"

"No one's that stupid."

"Would you give it up?"

"Being a mutant? No."

"Neither would I." Seleena lifted off the ground and spun in a mock skating pose. "There's too much here… I just need…help."

"I think I see." She didn't really. She turned toward the door.

"Silver." Seleena whispered.

"What?"

"If you ever need it—use silver. But promise me something Kitkat. Never kill anyone."

Kitty nodded and phased through the wall a bit scared but now she knew Peter was right. Seleena was left exhausted. She curled into a ball on the floor and slept for several hours.


	6. Tag You're It

(Sorry again for the wait. had an MRI this morning)

Seleena stood out in the chilly air by the miniature forest on the mansions acreage. The sun had set and the temperature dropped. She had her tank top on. Logan was wearing flannel.

"We going to do this?" she asked with an impatient mock valley girl whine.

"We're going to do it right." Logan huffed right back. "Charlie seems to think that regular fights might help with your little problem."

"What do you think?" she questioned.

"I think he might be right." He snuffed out his cigar. "You ever play tag?"

"Tag? Yeah, but what-" she was cut off when her partner slammed a blade flat in to her palm.

"Good. You get a thirty second head start." She stood looking at him for a moment. "Starting _now_!"

She took off into the woods. The leaves crunched under her feet and she knew that would be a dead—no pun intended—give away. When she was out of sight she took to the air. Her thirty seconds was up…now.

She waited a second—feeling foolish hiding behind a tree. She didn't hear him take off running. Hw was moving all right, but taking his time. Another odd bit, she didn't hear his footsteps at all. She reached out to his mind hoping some mild hypnosis (sending him after another scent) might buy some time. He was coming for her. Her heart began to beat as adrenalin pumped into her system. She couldn't quiet it.

He was coming faster now. Maybe she could throw him off. She took to the skies hoping he would be looking only at the ground. The night was still and the air stagnant. There was no breeze to blow her scent away. That had to be what he was chasing.

The hilt of the knife was cold in her hand. Lightly she settled in a tree branch and watched Logan. He wheeled at the rustling of the leaves but saw nothing there and turned around to where Seleena had been standing. He got down on all fours and inspected the ground. No prints. Her mistake. Now he stared looking in the trees.

SNIKT

The sound made Seleena wince. Like steak knives being sharpened. It took her a moment to place it. That moment was too long. Before she was sure Logan was next to her. Hot needles were raked though her skin and there were three parallel cut on her upper arm.

"Tag." His gruff voice muffled her startled cry. "I win. You're buying."

She jumped form the tree. "I don't drink." She quickly licked her fingers and cleansed the wounds. They healed with in seconds.

"Then you can buy me one—or owe me one. Elf owes me about a truck load."


	7. In a Bar

Bit of a fluffy chapter but I didn't want to jump right in to the next fight.

* * *

The bar was small, the air smoky and Logan seemed to be enjoying himself. The mug in front of him was almost empty and Seleena was starting to get to tired. And she was already fed up with the guy at the back checking her out. She would need to wear more clothes next time.

She and Logan had sat there for about an hour now. She'd had nothing and the bartender seemed miffed. The silence was starting to hurt her ears. She wasn't about to start the conversation up yet. Then again it didn't seem he was either.

At some points even Seleena has to say screw it. "Where'd you learn to track?" Lame.

"Mph." Logan finished his beer. "Time to go." He tossed some bills as a tip, Seleena's treat had worn out about a keg ago.

"Manners aren't you thing are they?" she asked following him out the front door through the dim neon tinted air. She felt just a tad to cliché.

"Not really. You want another round?" He opened the passenger side door for her and walked around the back of the jeep to drive.

"I don't drink." She swung her leg up into the car.

"In the woods?" he clarified. Forced the keys in to the ignition.

"Last guy to say that wound up in the hospital." She shrugged. "I'm up for it."

"Good, hate to think you're a one a night girl." He smirked and shoved a cigar in his mouth backing out of the space with one hand on the wheel.

"Last guy to say that was dead." She shouldered closer to the open window.

"Gotta try for it sometime sweetheart. Gonna bite me?" he sure as hell wasn't hopeful. Just a dick.

"Not if I was starving." She raised her eyebrows gazed out the window as the mansion came in view. "Won't they be expecting us?"

"Not likely. I'm usually out late."

She forced a smile. "Great."

"Why are you being so anti-social? You go outta your way with every one else at school, why not me, eh?" he turned hard right scoring the lawn outside the forest.

"You didn't say one damn thing to me in that bar, I'm not the one be anti-social."

"You want conversation. Talk while you're hunting." Again the knife was in her hand. "You're it. I get thirty seconds."

Hunting she could do, running not so much. "Gotcha." She would enjoy tagging him. And she did.

It was 6 am at the end of there last round. They wound up tied at the end of the night. If it weren't for the sun they'd've kept going.


	8. Getting Ready

Ok A/n and Review response:

One sorry I was gone so long, see all other explanations for explication.

Two

soaring-bright-flame—one thank you! I'm glad you like and I can't say enough how much I love your work!

Trillinka—Alas, I am not at liberty to discuss Logan's feelings for our beloved Seleena, suffice to say that she is now and forever (in my works) will be attached to Beastboy, even if I have to beat her over the head to get it.

Storm noticed there was something wrong, defiantly something different. Kitty was giggling incessantly on the way to her dance lesson in New York. Stevie had called and wanted to schedule an emergency lesson for today. Something about Kitty's tempo or lack there of.

* * *

Back at the mansion with Beauty out of the way things were going smoothly. Peter walked in with little Illyana on his shoulders, she had to duck to get through the door. Seleena was standing on the ceiling with her shirt tucked in so it wouldn't go over her head, and her hair hanging loose. The blinds were closed so she could work without fear. She had a roll of crepe paper in her hand and tape in the other. The room was dressed for a party.

() Translated from original respective language.

("How does it look?") she said gesturing to the room in general.

("I didn't know you could do that?") Peter said slightly shocked at seeing his friend on the ceiling.

("What?") She asked. ("Oh this.") She tucked the streamer in to her makeshift belt. ("Tell you a secret?") She asked winking at Illyana, the girl nodded vigorously. ("I can't") at that statement Seleena's feet released form the ceiling and she fell. Stopping herself only a few inches before her head would hit the floor. Illyana shrieked in the laughter of a small child who has not yet been tainted by the world.

("How'd you do that?") Piotr asked unbelievingly.

("I flew upside down, the ceiling just gives me something solid to work off of.") She explained.

("Doesn't the blood all go to your head?") Illyana asked smiling. ("Mine does when I'm upside down.") Piotr shifted his weight, they hadn't really explained to the little girl how Seleena was different but this was the first time any one in the house had brought up blood. He waited to see if Seleena would answer.

She just smiled; two twin gaps in her mouth where she had retracted her fangs became evident. (" I don't have that problem Illyana.") She hoped to leave it at that. No dice.

("Why not, all the girls at home do when we hang from the tracker.") She persisted.

("Illyana! What have I told you about playing on that tracker? It's dangerous!") Piotr chastised.

("It's fun! And it's not like there's anything else to do.") She pouted for a moment. Then the avoidance tactic caught up with her. (Hey! She didn't answer my question!") And she crossed her arms just for emphasis.

("Well you caught me.") Seleena admitted. ("So, I'll tell you. My blood isn't like yours. Mine's all think and goopy so it doesn't move fast enough for it all to get to my head just for being upside-down.")

She seemed satisfied for now. And for a while the three of them decorated in silence, ok so Piotr and Seleena decorated. Illyana got her self wrapped in streamers and popped 4 balloons. After about twenty minutes of that, when the dinning room was all set for a surprise party Illyana asked something again. And again Piotr wished she hadn't. (" Aunt Seleena,")

_AUNT!_ Seleena thought but answered. ("Yes,")

("If you're blood is not like mine, what is my blood like?") She continued to play with her streamer but she was waiting for a response.

("Well, Illyana,") Piotr started but didn't get a chance to finish.

(" I didn't ask you I asked the Vampire! I know what you would say!") This response form the tiny form shocked Piotr, and Seleena. (" 'Your blood is like my blood Illyana, we have the same parents.'") She mimicked her big brother and Seleena had to stifle a laugh.

("You really want to know what you're blood is like?") Seleena asked pulling her along. The girl nodded. ("It's a lot like pigs blood. Or squirrel or cow.") Piotr nodded at the appropriate response and then frowned at what followed. ("But I've heard that little girl blood is much tastier!") Like a flash Seleena was on the ground pinning Illyana to the floor, tickling her stomach and leaving little kisses, and nothing more, on her neck and cheeks.

The wrestling match went one like that for well over half an hour, each child, and I use that phrase intentionally, winning about as often as the other. Thanks to Seleena throwing a great number of matches. One by the one the guests filed in and each were shushed appropriately. Bye the time some one cleared their throat, the two had a full-blown audience.

"Uh…." Seleena blushed, "how long until Beauty gets here?" she jumped up form the floor faster than maybe anyone but Logan can move and tried to hide her embarrassment behind her hair, no such luck.

"The car's pulling up now." Kurt informed her.


	9. hmm what to call this?

Not a real chapter, sorry folks, go on ahead if you already know the X-men back-story.

In this extended authors note, (which may or may not follow certain grammatical rules because it is not yet 7:00 AM) I am going to enlighten you a little about the x-men.

First, don't be ashamed even if you're an x-men fan, and you don't know what I'm talking about. I'm using back-story from before I was born here people! (I could look up the date up the date, I have the book right here, and I'm just too lazy)

Second, All the characters in here, (except Seleena.) are real and belong to marvel. I have kept true to back-story and character traits. (I hope with the character traits.)

Third, a little information.

As previously mentioned Storm (Real name Orroro Monroe, Tribal for Beauty) was attacked by none other than Dracula himself. What I haven't said is that she was damn near turned before Kitty's love brought her back form the edge. Also, she has vowed never to take a human life again, even in self-defense. (I'll explain how a person can be almost turned later in the story.)

Piotr is a true character, is fighting name is Colossus but he is really quite sensitive despite being the strongest of the group. He is also a painter. He left Russia to join Xavier in his fight for a better world and left ALL of his family behind. Illyana is his sister. She was kidnapped by Arcade (a bad guy) and because this tales place during the peak of the cold war there is no way to get her home. She has a back story all her own that is amazing—yet not relevant to this story if you are interested look it up on line.

ANYONE NOTICE A FEW CHARACTERS MISSING?

Ice man—was one of the original x-men and left to go to college

Jean Grey/Marvel Girl/Phoenix—hate to tell you folks, she's dead, gone buried finito. For now.

Rogue—oy, this girl causes so much grief, suffice to say that as of now she is still evil, that's right still let's not forget that mystique is her mother.

Did I leave anything out? Let me know.


	10. The Party

Trillinka—thank you, I hope you like this one too, it too will probably be short but it will have massive implications.

anonymous—too scared to type a name? No I'm kidding and I was in fact dead, but no one here know that. CRAP THEY DO NOW! Oh well, anyway no I had a friend from Germany here for a month and couldn't get more than 30 minutes on the computer for more than 2 months.

lilmisschaos—I would never intentionally use a line from somebody else without credit. If I do that with out realizing just let me know and I'll give you due mention. I hope that long author's note helped with your x-men knowledge.

soaring-bright-flame—See, previous chapter for answer to your question, and I'm glad you thought she was attacking her, that was the point, it means I wrote it well. So thank you.

GENERAL ANOUNCEMENT I will be shortly using the origin of Logan in a very big way. Sadly this is a big part of the story, and most of my reviewers are not familiar with the X-men let alone the origin of my favorite berserker so I'm going to recommend a few things, you can a) take what I say for granted and ask when you are confused, B) rent the graphic novel _Origin_ from your local library or make the $10 investment in a good book. It will probably take about an hour to read. The third option is to research online. That's all I can say and I hope that you can do one of those.

I made an error recently, I have this story set three months after Storms attack, I'll have to change that to less than one month. Ororo was attacked in issue 159 and it is in issue 160 that Illyana is it stuck in another dimension. Obviously that hasn't happened yet because she is still 8 and not 17 so just make that change in you heads and Beauty is that much more vulnerable.

Also giant sized annual number four "Nightcrawler's Inferno" isn't given a 'between issues' date so we're going to assume that this is before that issue.

The party 

The lights were dimmed and every one hid rather poorly, behind furniture and various other objects waiting for Ororo to make her appearance. They didn't wait long, the door swung inward and the white-haired weather-witch flicked on the light switch, still marveling at the convenience even after these years with the team, if the people in Kenya could see this.

"SURPRISE!" every one stood and yelled. Ororo's hand flew to her heart and Kitty beamed.

"Goddess," she exclaimed. "You did all this for me?" It must have been Kitty's plan. She was the only one young enough to have thoughts of surprise parties still in her head. She looked down at the child who shook her head.

"Not me." She told her surrogate mother. "This was Seleena's idea."

Seleena adopted her best 'who me' look and it didn't fly for a second. Storm was annoyed. She wanted to hate the vampire, to hate all vampires for what Dracula had done to her, but with things like this parties and little favors it was hard to even dislike her. And she was the only person in the house that seemed to hold any kind of resentment. _With the fight for mutant rights I should be more accepting._ She thought. So she did her best not to let the others see her dislike of the new woman.

In her sweetest 'angry' voice Ororo continued to look down at her Kitty. "And she just happened to know it was my birthday?"

Seleena seemed to find a spot on the floor very interesting at that point. "Actually yeah," Kitty responded puzzled. She hadn't thought about that, how did Seleena know.

Everybody in the room stopped at that point, what else could this girl do that they didn't know about. What else could she know about?

"So I knew you're sign, it's not like you don't fit it to a tee! Kitty filled in the rest, I just new the month!" Seleena snapped defensively. "Now get out of the door way and have a good time at your party damn it!"

That broke the tension and the room erupted in to chatter.

With every one congratulating Ororo no one noticed that Seleena's smile was the fakest she had ever worn. No one except Logan. With a beer in one hand and the other slung around the raven-haired woman's shoulder, resting dangerously close to her breast, he broached the subject with all his diplomatic charm. "What's wrong, look like your cat got killed."

"Huh?" she said coming out of her personal prison. "Oh, nothing, the party's great. She's having a wonderful time." She said indicating the birthday girl of the day.

"Yeah, 'Ror's havin' a ball, you're not. Parties not your thing?" He guessed.

"Yeah that must be it," she said about as unconvincingly as a tap dancing frog.

"Yer a horrible liar." He said but shrugged it off and removed his hand, for some one that dressed like fire she was as cold as ice. And he wasn't thinking body temperature. She turned away just as Kitty started a chant.

"Cake, cake, cake, cake, cake, cake!" The whole room started to call, everybody laughing.

"That's my cue." Seleena said and walked through the double doors to the kitchen. She emerged with a large cake with white frosting and an undisclosed number of candles. The team launched into a cheerful round of off key Happy Birthday. And Kurt, ever the showman, a solo round of 'Hoch soll sie leben.' (High should she live)

"Dig in!" Seleena called. She set the platter down and Storm requested to cut the cake. Every one got a slice save Seleena with the explanation "food makes me sick."

With every one eating and talking, even Logan, Seleena found herself watching, not _die Gebrutstagkind_ but the household warrior. She watched him eat and noticed how the muscle along his jaw moved just the same way. She watched the way he held the forks and smiled, for the first time that night a genuine smile, as she remembered when she had made James use utensils way back when. Why did Logan remind her so much of her long gone husband? It was ridicules that was over a hundred years ago. And even so, she would have seen it long before. Then she realized that this was the very first time she had ever sat at the table with her housemates. The more she watched the more she became certain. He didn't recognize her; maybe this was a great-grand son. The way he tracked was different. He had killed so many people that his aura was nothing but patchwork, the way he spoke, his smell, the way he wore his hair. But the resemblance was there, and in all her long life Seleena had never seen two people eat the same way, and she had never seen some one change that particular habit. This was James, but how was he still alive? He wasn't a vampire of any type of demon, that she knew, not even a half-breed. No, this man was pure human, but that would be imposable, and why didn't he recognize her?

Ha! I got you didn't I now you have to keep reading. See? Hooked!


	11. Thoughts and possiblities

Trillinka—luckily that's what this chapter's about

soaring-bright-flame—if you were me would you have ended it any other way?

* * *

Things had been harder on Seleena since the party. Ignorance _was_ bliss and it had been much easier before she had recognized Logan/James for who he was. Now that she saw it she didn't know how she could have been so blind before. He had changed sure enough but the basics were still there. Here didn't remember her, which made things harder. They had been so close, married, no children, all their time with each other or in the forest.

Her memories were crisp, if not idealistic, but she knew what had happened. She remembered watching him hunt the deer around their cabin. She even remembered perfectly the day he left. She had followed his scent until it ended in a river, she assumed him dead. (How was she to know that he had been taken and trained by a country he no longer called his own.1)? The whole time was well over a hundred years; human memory could fail. But to erase her completely?

Could they still be friends, now assuming, he had abandoned her so long ago.

"_Danmit! Thisisn't supposed to happen to me!"_ she thought angrily. "_People die! I mourn, my un-life goes on!"_ she picked up an empty bottle and hurled it against the far wall of her small room. The plastic clattered off harmlessly. "That was a lot more satisfying when bottles were glass." She pouted.

The noise broke her anger and she was left with only the practical thoughts, or thought rather, as there was only one question on her mind. This was James, there was no about that, but how was he still alive? She had tasted James; he was human, pure blood, no question. That left only a few options. A) He had been changed to a vampire, but he still had a heartbeat and she had seen him at night. Plus he didn't exactly smell like the undead. B) He could have had spell placed on him. That seemed a little more likely. Even if the magic wasn't still evident didn't mean it didn't have a permanent effect. Immortality lasts forever. But who had that kind of power. The dilemma was still bugging her when her though were interrupted by Kitty phasing though her door.

"Blah, you _still_ haven't decorated in here?" she asked looking at the bare floor and walls and the untidy lived out of suitcases.

"Was there some thing you needed?" Seleena snapped beyond the mood not to be bothered.

"Logan wanted to know if you forgot about your training." She girl sounded a little hurt by Seleena's harsh tone.

"Shit." She stamped in frustration.

"So that would be a yes?" Kitty asked trying to make light of the language that Ororo said thought she wasn't old enough to hear.

"Yeah, tell him I'll be out in--" thunder cracked and boomed through the cinderblock wall. "I'll do it my self, you don't need to be out in this weather."

She needed a fight but Logan was such the wrong person that she couldn't even think. He was also the only person she could fight here. She didn't have to worry about hurting him; even way back he had an uncanny ability not to get hurt. If Robin was here they could fight, but no.

Kitty left as Seleena was zipping in to he body suit and pulling on gloves. I would be light yet for about an hour. Logan liked fight this way an hour to his advantage, an hour for her. Fair and even.

"Nothing better than soaking wet spandex." She grumped listing to the rain hit the ground above her. She grabbed her knife form the raised top of the suitcase and headed out.

* * *

1This would have been when he joined the Canadian army and fought in WWI 


	12. Hunting with Logan

A/N: Please see separation anxiety's note but to sum it up I couldn't update cause I was gone.

Trillinka—wow uh… I don't want to lose my sneaky author persona here but if you could just go watch the movie again or something so I don't actually have to tell you that would be awesome. It just didn't occur to me that some one would not know that 'cause I'm such a comic nerd.

The rain falling in the woods was cold and the wind made Seleena shiver. Ok so what if she couldn't get hypothermia, so what if she was covered in hair from head to toenail and everything in between, so what if she was naturally cold. The weather was brutal!

Logan seemed to agree, but he never missed a session. "You tired of tag yet?" he asked, leaning against a tree. The rain beat down and made the smoke from his cigar sticky.

"A little, yeah." she said, fighting the urge to huddle next to him for warmth. "But what're we gonna do?"

"Figure we'd hunt something other than each other this time." He snuffed out his cigar and threw it to the ground, mingling tobacco with the falling maple leaves.

"I'm not so sure… I mean who else could we fight?" she asked trying hard to ignore his obvious meaning.

"Nah, no fighting. There are deer on the other side of that fence" he said motioning past the area in which they usually practiced. "We'll hunt there."

"Logan," good right name, "I… I'm not…"

"Look Darlin' I'm tryin' to be nice! I'm not a fool, I can tell a hungry person when I see one, and you're damn near starving!"

"I've been eating." She protested mildly, embarrassed that he knew.

"A rat is not a meal." He told her calmly and strangely it seemed as though he spoke from experience.

"How did you--?"

"Not many things get by me. You smell like rats now, and not pigs blood like when you first got here. Plus, you've gotten skinny. Now I won't let you starve to death so we're going hunting! Besides it looks like you'd be good hunter. I'd like to see it."

They hopped the fence and started off across a field. "Who owns this land?"

"Hell if I know." Logan shrugged. "I just figure…" he was cut off by Seleena's sudden stop and a militant gesture telling him to keep silent. His eyes asked her what was going on.

Her eyes were fixed on a spot about two yards away, just into the trees, but the rain what keeping down any and all scents and pitter patter, blocking out noise from that distance. Slowly, silently Seleena rose off the ground and pointed while gliding smoothly. Then Logan could see her, a doe standing just past the tree with her head sticking out in to the clearing, munching overgrown grass. He nodded signaling for her to go ahead. She closed her eyes and furrowed her brow, then shook her head. If she fed off this small doe it would surely die, and she would need more blood. Completely full or starving were her only options. "Yours" she mouthed back as she landed just as quietly as she had taken off and watched Logan work. It was much like when James had hunted. The man in front of her, (they had to be the same body but they were little alike) was much more skillful. He showed no intent of harming the animal. The way he moved, delicately, thought the high grasses, stopping when he reached the trees, using the brush for cover, staying downwind. Everything about him spoke of a careful hunter that wanted to make no mistakes. But the leisurely pace made it clear that he did not need this food to live or even really want it.

He waited in utter silence for a good 30 minutes with out so much as yawning. Suddenly he darted forward and tapped the does on the hindquarters with just the tips of his fingers. The doe ran off as fast as she could, startled beyond reason for having the man there for half and hour.

He smiled staying under the same tree for dryness. Seleena caught up in a few seconds and smiled back under here hood. She felt the fabric shift and knew Logan wouldn't miss it. "Don't care for venison?" she asked leaning against the bark absorbing his heat.

"'Ro wouldn't stand for me killin' with meat on the table at home." He said and she watched his aura flicker and heard his heart skip a beat.

Seleena didn't know if she should be hurt. She'd always been the second love, with every one. James had had Rose before her, and Beastboy had had Terra. She didn't blame them. Who would choose a vampire over a warm blooded human? Some one who's alive and there to keep you warm at night. She swallowed her pride. "Then I really shouldn't be out here. There's no need for me to be hunting. I'm doing all right." She really thought she was getting better at lying thought her teeth.

"And I guess you got tons of blood and home? And you're not taking it outta anyone, so go find your self an animal!"

She stepped away from his tone. "Logan I-I can't believe that you would even think that I would consider hurting anyone in the mansion! I'd kill myself first!"

"Look, I'm not saying you bite any one!" he said defensively. "I don't know what you think you have to do penance for but starvin' yourself won't help anyone and you're scaring away the deer so go find one. I don't know why I even care! There's something… never mind just go find something!"

She threw her arms up. "FINE!" Birds scattered and the rain stopped. Logan raised an eyebrow at that and Seleena shifted. She sincerely hoped that was beauty's doing. Controlling the weather takes some power; she had thought she didn't have that anymore.

"Huh" was Logan's only comment. Seleena arranged her legs in the lotus position and closed her eyes as she floated ever so slightly above the tops of the wet grass.

The world around her went black. Then slowly, light appeared thought her eyelids. Gradually the outline of a male appeared, standing next to here, the image formed in small red lines. The out line filled in as her inner sight locked onto the moving blood. This animal would be easy prey. He wasn't moving and she was hungry. His scent was familiar but in her primal state she couldn't be bothered to place it. A voice whispered to her that there were larger, more satisfying meals in the woods tonight.

Her focus shifted from the man, he would survive the night. Smaller things flitted in and out of Seleena's panoramic range, birds or squirrels, maybe a skink, not her concern. Finally, she found what she'd been searching for, several yards away there was a large being… bigger than the man next to her. Four legs mammal, probably a deer. This was her dinner, maybe for the week.

The vamiress was off like an arrow form a bow. Her inner eye now formed a tunnel ending at her target. That large male seemed to be tailing her. She was almost annoyed. Then she had to swerve form her path because of a tree. With no time for the man to catch her or scare off her prey, she was there. The red form started to run but she grabbed the beast and sank her fangs deep in the animals throat threw her hood pricing the skin. Spot on the jugular. The thickest red line.

Seleena's mind returned as the blood flowed in to her system. Logan stood a few feet back watching the buck wither under Seleena while she supported it. A bit like a friend, it was a twisted rendering of an embrace. After a few minutes the deer's eyes rolled back into it's skull and Seleena allowed the caress to fall. There was still a little blood left bit the animal's heart could not longer pump it to the wound. It was just as well, when Seleena peeped back her now torn, blood stained, ruined, hood she glowed against the twilight with the fresh life running thought her. She couldn't hold any more and for the first time in too long, if you pricked her, she too would bleed.

The blood rush made her giddy like a sugar high.

"Not bad. I'd expected more skill less speed." Logan commented form behind.

Seleena wiped the last of the crimson liquid form her face with her sleeve. With all that energy coursing thought her she couldn't control herself. At this point in time, if you ever happen in to she her in this state, she would tell you ever her most inner secret with out a second thought because she has the mind of a four year old. So she couldn't help but respond, "Why are you surprised? You taught me how to hunt James!" After a split second she clapped her hand over her mouth.

Logan looked at her in shock. "wha'd you just call me!"


	13. James

Sorry to leave you so long with a cliffhanger, the comic that I needed to reference was stolen by my brother's ex-best friend. I'll have more time later to explain the ring and it's complications but for now.

"I asked you what you called me."" Logan demanded, his claws inching out and he looked very threatening even to the immortal. She wondered if there was silver in that metal. Her high was gone.

"Logan. I called you Logan. That's your name, why would I call you something other than your name?" she tried to babble her way out of this situation but Logan wasn't having it.

"Lady, you and I are gunna have a talk." His claws retracted.

Back at the mansion Seleena straddled the weight bench in Logan's bedroom. He stood nervously next to the chest of drawers. "Out there…what you called me, I," He reached in to the drawer and pulled out some thing small and gold. "This is the only clue I have from before, and I don't' even know then that is. I don't have a past. I woke up in a lab—I—I remember flashes but then nothing. Some one gave me this ring. It's got blood on it—a woman's, but I can't remember if I knew her. They told me that this ring was something to me once upon a time but nothing more, and then in the woods, when you said that name. _Was _it _my_ name?" he strode across the room and placed the old ring in her hand. It was a bit of gold she hadn't seen in a century and it still made her heart fall. "Was it your ring? Were you my wife?"

"Logan I—I don't know what to—what are you asking me? Are you asking me who James was? Or are you asking me about thins Ring?" She swore. She wanted to throw it. To hurl it through the window and lose it in the grounds, but even when he didn't know what it meant she could see how much it meant to him. "To James with all my love." She recited the inscription aloud.

"We can start with who he was and why I have his ring." Logan suggested.

"James never told me mush about his past…I mean before me. A long time ago he worked for a Canadian mining company." She decided that it would be easier to keep them separate in her head. That was defiantly the way to go. How else was she supposed to talk to Logan about himself?

"When?" Logan insisted moving closer to her and sitting, hunched over, on the bed.

Seleena pressed her lips together. Should she tell him precisely how old James was? That could be dangerous. "From what James told me, he started working at the age of 8. That was 1900." Logan swallowed hard and leaned in closer. "I met him a few years after that, when her was 18. After she died" Seleena hoped she could remain vague.

"Who's she?" Logan called her bluff.

Seleena sighed, she hated talking about the past; it's like opening a wound. "Her name was Rose. I never met her. She was the love of his life. She gave him this ring. And his name, but she had to lie. She told every one that they were brother and sister." She closed her eyes and found herself in the cabin that James had built with his own two hands, especially to keep out the sun. He was on the floor, lying next to her. The buck skin soft on their bodies and he was telling her about Rose. "She fell in love with some one else and… there was a duel." His words, the exact words he had said to her were coming through her mouth, and she couldn't terminate the flow. " She didn't want it—her brother and her lover fighting. But I'm not her brother, and I loved her. She tried to come between us—and there was nothing I could do, she fell on to my hands." Seleena was still in the cabin, and James was talking through her. "I didn't mean to kill her!" she began to sob and hundred years before in the wilds of Canada a vampire consoled her husband and in the present, in the mansion of Charles Xavier, Logan consoled his friend.

It took him only a minute to figure out what had just happened.


	14. A Book by It's Cover

Not too long after her encounter with Logan, Seleena was relaxing in her –compartment. She was attempting to recover form her past in part, and from the fact that Logan truly was clueless. With her eyes closed she listened to someone slowly approach her room, cattishly and on the ceiling. He did not want her to know that he was there and this was not his first trip to her sleeping quarters while be believed her asleep.

Seleena did not believe that this was any intentional invasion of privacy but rather an attempt at personal growth without her knowing she was an aid. So she did not take any offense to his visits but she did intend to put a stop to them.

With a noise and stench that would wake the dead, (if she had been sleeping) he attempted to gain entrance unnoticed. Then he took advantage of his shadow blend ability to become almost invisible to the human eye.

She did not open her eyes and allowed him the illusion that she was sleeping for a few more seconds. Then she spoke. "Mind telling me what you're doing her Mr. Wagner?"

Kurt was so startled he fell form the ceiling. Her landed with no less than his usual grace, and was quick to apologize. "Fraulien, I'm sorry, I did not realize—"

"That I was awake?" she finished for him keeping her corpse like posed. "Trust me; you'd know that I was asleep by me being naked." Kurt's entire face turned and interesting shade of purple.

Seleena sat up and opened her eyes, "well, if you plan on being embarrassed than maybe you shouldn't sneak into women's rooms when you believe them to be sleeping." She recommended smiling.

"I meant no harm." He insisted quickly.

"And none is done." Seleena replied. "But I have to ask again, what are you doing here? I'm sure there are other prettier girls you could be spying on."

"I was not spying. I was watching." He corrected.

Seleena shrugged. "Same difference. What were you watching? Just out of curiosity." Kurt faltered and looked down at the ground, but his aura gave him away completely. "It doesn't seem fair does it?" she asked motioning for him to have a seat on the up turned suitcase.

"What?" he asked back more out of confusion because she knew what was wrong than not knowing what she was talking about.

"That I look human and you don't." Seleena had about as much tact as a monkey flinging pooh but she got the point across.

Kurt shifted on his heel uncomfortably. "Seleena I—"he began to mutter an apology about how looks didn't matter but she waved him off.

"Come on Kurt. I know why you're been coming down here. If you want to talk about it, I'm here if not—well then you can leave. Cause you've been coming down here looking at me for a couple weeks now and I've been ignoring you but today had not been a good day do if you're sown here to waste my time you can leave now." She sighed and settled on the found, forfeiting her position above him. "Now, did you want to talk to me?" she asked slightly resigned realizing she had been to rough on the boy.

"Well I.." his tail twitched in frustration and he made a circular motion with his hands as though he could stir the words out of his mouth. "I wanted to see—what, what a real demon looked like." He said after a moment and what seemed like a large internal struggle.

"I guess I should tell you that looks don't matter and all that, that you've heard a hundred times before." Kurt nodded, accepting his fate. "But that would be bull shit, and bull shit never helped any one. Least of all people like us."

Kurt was shocked; no one had ever been that blatantly truthful with him before. "Like us? He asked figuring if she was going to be truthful with him, he could pay her the same honor. "I didn't realize that we were similar."

"We're more alike in the eyes of the world than you'd think. The difference is you're a mutant because of your genes and I'm a vampire because, when I was about you ate, some old lady told me I had to become one for my people. To protect them."

"But that's a huge difference!" he argued. "I had no choice, I was born this way, you became what you are, it was some thing you did."

"I believed that I had done something to have this thing live inside me, I'd kill myself immediately, without question. I am a demon but only biologically. The only thing that has ever efferent my mental stat was time! And let's get one thing straight, I had no choice! I acquired a parasite that changed; my body. A disease!" she took a breath of the dank air to calm her nerves. "But you were partially right; you didn't have a choice either, you were dealt a lousy life and left to deal with it on you own. You're an innocent Kurt. There is nothing bad in you, but like I said all that stuff about looks not mattering is bull shit. Your looks won't matter to any one that knows you. Or any one with half a brain. But if they think you look like a demon then they'll never get close enough to tell if it's true."

"Who told you this?" he asked doubt and hope mixed in his voice, and energies. "How do you know?"

"Life Kurt. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Xavier will catch his golden dream and it won't be true anymore. I'm just telling you what I know from living."

"But things have changed." He almost begged her to talk back her harsh words.

"That is true more so in the last 40 years than I've ever seen in western culture."

"See, thing change, professor will make every one see." Kurt diapered in a puff of sulfur smoke.

Seleena hoped against hope that he was right with all her heart. She'd told him society had changed, and it had but she'd never seen people chance their ways. She laid herself down on the cold concrete floor, closed her eyes, and cried. She cried for herself and for Kurt and for all the people like them that would never have a place in the world.


	15. naked goodness

A/N: Sorry about the absent posts these last weeks. There been a lot of stuff going on. By the way, the awesomeness of the Craft belongs to my bestest and most wonderful friend, she wrote it in to her story which failed, but still she's a good writter.

After her encounter with James—and her encounter with Logan—and the friendly little chat she'd managed to have with Kurt, Seleena felt like running, or beating her head against the wall, or walking out into the sun. Of all those options, therapy or talking was not one of them, and running seemed the least painful.

In the twinkling dew out in the yard Seleena ran faster than she had since she'd come to the mansion. She let herself go and cherished the wind tearing at her face and arms. She was fleeing her troubles so fast that the tight cloth of her tank top began to tear with resistance, slowing her down. After several miles she came to a hillside; her soft fabric slippers were long gone and the rock clawed at her feet. She ran up the hill and when it ended she did not stop. Streaking upward the thin straps of her shirt gave out and shucked off of her like snakeskin. The wind ripped at her cuts and she began to bleed.

Some 40 yards above the earth, a metro area below, maybe it was New York, Seleena couldn't say, but she slowed her pace. She stopped running and flying like hell itself was chasing her and relaxed. She lay on her stomach and watched the city below. Lights flickered on and off as people were turning in for the night or waking up for a midnight snack. There were a few people out and about, walking their dog or some other menial task that could have waited for the morning.

She smiled at auras, visible to her even from this height. Tiny holiday bulbs that danced below and between the squares of light. Then she saw a beacon that made her stop in her flight path. A deep throbbing maroon that was growing stronger at every moment. The light was spotted, light blue and velvet yellow. She sucked in a freezing breath. He was a fledgling, newborn, she couldn't see his sire around but she had to help. Her hair streaking almost endlessly behind her, she must have frightened the woman as she landed, none-too-lightly. Yes, almost as much as she frightened the newly risen vampire, who was not smart enough to hide his aura. Her breasts bare and flesh torn and wind burned, her hair a tangle behind her that she would probably have to cut out tomorrow, she landed behind the attacker and searched for a weapon. The woman in his arms was flailing and Seleena could hear her heartbeat begin to slow. She grabbed a branch from a tree nearby, a weedish thing that no one had bothered to pull, and broke it off with a crack. The young one turned, furthering the wound in the woman's neck. Seleena saw her clothes, or rather lack thereof, and could piece together what had led to her becoming a happy meal.

The man sneered at her. "You gonna wave that at me? Maybe get yourself a pitchfork?"

Seleena looked at him coldly and hid her power well so that he would not run. "You're not welcome here." She told him.

He laughed her off. "That's not what she was sayin'." He dropped the woman and approached.

Seleena's face was expressionless and without hesitation she thrust the jagged limb into the man's chest. He made a very strange noise while his face contorted. He began to reach up, to yank the wood from his immortal chest. The woman's blood gurgled from the wound. Within the minute Seleena could smell the blood boiling. An eerie light came into his eyes as his insides caught fire. Within five minutes there would be nothing left. But Seleena couldn't stay and watch. The lady needed a hospital, and more medical attention than Seleena could give her.

Luckily, Seleena noted as she flew as fast as she could with the woman to the hospital, the attack was so savage it did not in the least resemble a bite wound. She was also thinking how good it was that Logan had forced her to eat because in her starved condition of earlier the woman would not have made it to the ER.

The doors opened automatically as Seleena stepped on the weight pad. The hospital was brightly lit even for this time of night and the stink of sickness and antiseptic had led Seleena right to it.

"She's lost a lot of blood, I think." The vampiress called to the nearest nurse. She carried her burden to the nearest chair and propped her up as carefully as possible. The waiting room froze as Seleena's nakedness was revealed. It took 45 seconds for the stretcher to arrive, a full minute for someone to shove a set of scrubs in to her hands and another 30 seconds for the questions to begin.

"What happened here?"

"Neck injury, she was bleeding a lot, I think she and her boy friend had a fight," Seleena lied easily.

"Do you know her?"

"No. They walked into my alley so I pretended to be asleep," Seleena was amazed how well she could slide into the role of a tramp after so many years. The stretcher had been rushed off and a lone volunteer with a clipboard had been left behind to collect information.

"So you're not a relative." The girl had short spiked blonde hair and an earring in her cartilage.

"No, I just broke up the fight."

"Did you see any drugs, anything like that?"

"No—I had my eyes closed—I opened them when I heard her scream."

"Did you notice what kind of weapon was used?"

"Naw, he must've taken it with him. He bolted when I sat up."

"All right, thank you ma'am."

"Wait." Seleena called without knowing why. She could rationalize later, that always seemed to work. "Could you tell me when I could see her?"

"I'll leave a message at the desk." she answered noncommittally with a smile.

Seleena tucked herself in the furthest corner and for the first time in decades watched the sun come up without her sunglasses. After the first dozen rays she averted her eyes. No one paid any attention to her odd behavior; they had other things on their mind in the ER.

Seleena was starting to worry about how she was going to make her way back, naked, in the daylight, when a different volunteer approached her with a puzzled look. She had a note in her hand. She looked at Seleena and tried to determine if she was sleeping. Seleena made a drowsy motion so that she would not need to answer questions.

"Ma'am," she tried tentatively. Seleena lifted her head and surveyed the room to find the shadows. They were plentiful. "The woman you brought in can have visitors now."

Seleena stood. "Can you show me her room?"

The volunteer nodded, and led her out of the waiting room. She decided to strike up a conversation in the elevator despite the fact that her charge seemed to be everything she was taught to avoid in the street.

"Do you know her well?" she asked as the elevator dinged into place.

"No-not really…I just want to make sure she's all right." The volunteer nodded in a way that made Seleena think that she was just being polite but didn't quite grasp the concept.

"Well, here we are anyway." she held open a large door, just big enough to fit a stretcher. "She's in the second bed." She began to walk away in a hurry. "I have to get back to work. Bye-bye."

At the sound of voices the woman began to wake up.

"Hey," Seleena said softly.

"It's you," the woman said. "You..." She looked confused. "You made him go away." She tried to clear her throat. Her voice was scratchy and abused. Seleena guessed that the misbehaving pup might have injured her vocal cords. "How'd you do that? He just went away."

Seleena sat in the stiff visitors chair. "That's why I stayed." She fingered the hem of her borrowed scrubs nervously. "You have some options, which, once you choose, you can't go back."

The woman was confused and curious and worried all at once. "Did you do something wrong? Can I get in trouble?"

Seleena smiled reassuringly. "No—no trouble but you might not like the truth. But first I have to ask you something. What do you think happened last night?"

"I was at this club. The Craft it's called. It was really sleazy but…" the woman began. Seleena sighed. She'd heard of The Craft; mortals were permitted but mostly as meal, any smart human knew to stay away. The only vampire club on the east coast. "So this guy — the one you saw — he bought me a drink and we danced for a while. I'd only had the one but I was starting to feel drunk." Seleena didn't want to hazard a guess at what would be put in a young woman's drink. "He offered to walk me home 'cause I didn't really feel like I should drive. The next thing I knew, the guy pulled me in to a dark street that wasn't on the way home. He stared groping me and biting my neck like some kind of freak. That's all I really remember until you showed up and for some reason he left."

"Ok, you're injured so I'm going to resist the temptation to insult your intelligence," Seleena ground her teeth. "That's an adequate retelling of the events of the night—kind of, but that not what I asked you. So I'm going to try again. Why do you think he would have bitten you?" If she had her own theory it would make her more willing to accept the truth—or easier for Seleena to lie—whichever the woman chose.

"I don't know. I thought maybe he was going to rape me and he had some kind of vampire fetish." she began to sob weakly but she had already given Seleena enough information.

"Do you want to know what really happened tonight? Or do you want to forget all about it and just know that you were hurt on your way home? It's your choice."

"I want to know what really happened so I can get that bastard," she replied. The wound made her voice sound gravelly and evil. Seleena tried to remain calm, but the response had reminded her how long it had been since she'd staked one of the_ others._ "The bastard's already been gotten. But you need to think about this for your safety now and for your future safety."

"Well when you say it like that, was he part of a club or something?" she tried her hand at weak humor. "My answer's the same. I have a kid to think about. I need to know."

Seleena leaned back in her chair. She was going to do this the long way and she might as well be comfortable.

"You sure you're ready?" At her small nod Seleena continued. "The man that attacked you was a vampire."

"Nope, not possible, no such thing." The woman tried to speak up defiantly.

"Yep—hate ta break it ta ya, but yes, there is. The club you went to tonight, The Craft, it's a vampire club. Humans beware and all that."

"So am I—like a target now, do they all know where I live?"

"No, nah, they can't track you until they bite you and the one that bit you is dust."

"Dust, you mean you…"

"Killed him yeah, don't worry about it, he was a soulless monster that smelled your daughter and wanted to eat her too. Fortunately he was also young and easy to kill."

"Oh, God…you mean Sarah could have died? Oh, oh …shit! That's—that's…how was I so stupid?" She broke off her feeble wailing. "How did you know I had a daughter?"

"Oh, shit. You didn't say 'daughter', did you?"

"No."

"I'm going to have to answer more questions now, aren't I?"

"Yeah. Explain yourself or I call security."

"Ok, see--I'm a vampire."

"You bitch! What, you take care of me just so you could have me for yourself!" She put her hand to her throat where her screaming had loosened the bandage.

"Ya done—I'm not going to attack you, quite frankly if I wanted to I would've by now. Second, I'm not even the same kind of vampire as that son of a Catholic." (A/N: No offense to any Catholics out there, I'm Catholic myself; Seleena just doesn't like them.) She cleared her throat. "Now, if you don't quiet down, they'll come in to see what's wrong. You ready to go on?"

"How do I know that you're not lying?" she asked, her brow furrowed.

"You don't. You're going to have to trust me on this." Seleena bowed her head and whispered. "Are you ready to get out of this hellhole? I hate the smell of people dying."

The woman laughed. "You might not have noticed, but I can't really leave."

"Do you trust me?" Seleena asked, sitting up.

"I--I guess. I think, yes. I do." She finally managed, unable to doubt her savior.

Seleena got up and stood over her. "Then let me help you and don't be scared." Selena lowered her mouth to the woman's throat and sunk her fangs into the newly stitched skin. A bluish fluid dripped from her teeth on contact with blood. The woman sat up and struggled, groping and clawing at Seleena.

It took only about thirty seconds for her to heal the woman, but she sustained more injuries than an hour in the woods with Logan.


	16. Chapter 16

The longest pause in update history. And now, on with the show. ( I know it's short but I wanted every one to know I'm still alive.)

* * *

Seleena stood out side the woman's apartment wrapped in several hospital sheets, from which smoke was raising more and more frequently. She was exhausted, she'd carried the woman from the hospital, and to her disappointment found she lived to the east.

She waited, huddled as close as possible to the door as her host struggled with the key. "Hey… uh" _damn what's her name? _"I know your nervous or whatever but…" she shuddered as one of the lower sheets actually caught fire. "Some speed would be nice."

The woman glanced over her shoulder at her rescuer and almost dropped her keys when she saw the flame. "ys... yeah, sure" she pushed open the door and the screen clattered behind her.

Seleena put her hand on the knob and the already burning flesh hissed back at her in reproach. "Damn curses." She mumbled.

"What are you waiting for?" her companion asked evidently growing concerned.

"I can't come in." she glanced anxiously around for some shade.

"What do you mean…you'll die out there. Get in here!" she insisted.

Seleena grasped the handle and hurried inside. Without pausing she crossed the room and closed the blinds.

"What was that all about?"

"Doesn't matter." She threw off the flaming cloth and began stamping it out on the hard wood floor. "You have any water?"

"Yeah, but I mean, don't you drink…."

Seleena glared at her. "For the fire you idiot!"

"Oh right." She ran to the kitchen and came back with, not a bucket of water as Seleena had hoped, but a fire extinguisher. After the fist spurt of dust and gas the fire was out but the woman was coughing up a lung. "Oh Jesus, how is this safe?"

Seleena strode over and clapped her heavily on the back. "It is, for larger fires."

She looked up and down the vampire wearily. "You're not wearing any clothes."

Seleena looked down at the body and pulled a piece of charred fabric off her leg. "I guess I just can keep them on me huh?"


End file.
